Recoil apparatus



June 4 w. EZUMMERBELL ET AL 2,352,233

' RECOIL APPARATUS Filed April 11, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet l William 51.1mm erbal'l Richard H-Mas:m 4% ZZZ MA daxazwz worm/wa June 27, 1944. w. SUMMERBELL ET AL 2,35 33 RECOIL APPARATUS Filed April 11, 1942 3 sheets sheet 2 gwuc/wbow William 511mm er'hell IljJEL EI- L Richard H-Ma5nn w, 4% 7M 4M June 27, 1944. w. SUMMERBELL ET AL 2,352,233

- RECOIL APPARATUS Filed April 11, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 3 I .ggggggy WV Whiz 4 65 avwmvfm'f/b William Summerhell Richard H-Masun Patented June 27, 1944 RECOIL APPARATUS William Summerbell, Watervliet, N. Y., and Richard H. Mason, Havre de Grace, Md.

Application April 11, 1942, Serial No. 438,518

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 11 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to recoil apparatus.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel means for assembling a recoil spring on a firearm.

Another object of this invention is to provide a recoil spring coaxially mounted with the barrel :of a firearm, whereby a firearm having a quick bodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section taken substantially on line l-l of Fig. 2 and discloses a preferred embodiment of our invention.

Figure 2 is a view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a view taken substantially on line 4-4 01'' Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is a view taken substantially on line I 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Figure 6 is a view taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the spring encasing member l1.

Figure 8 is an end elevation of the spring housing member H.

Figure 9 is an end elevation of the spring housing member l8.

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the spring housing member (8.

Figure 11 is a section through the center of the washer or spring seat l9.

Figure 12 is a side view, partly in section taken substantially on line I2|2 of Fig. 13, and

Figure 13 is a view taken substantially on line l3-l3 of Fig. 1a.

The main elements of the assembly shown in 3 Figs. .1-11 comprise a barrel B having a screw ,threaded portion H) which cooperates with a corresponding screw threaded portion II on sleigh C having the pair of parallel guide members l2, l2 and also integrally formed barrel encircling portion l3 coaxial with portion ll. Concave sleigh portion l4 spaces the integrally formed coaxial cylindrical portions ll, [3 and carries the hardened guide members l2, l2, by means of a welded connection or the guide members l2, l2 may be bolted to concave sleigh portion I 4 by means of screws or bolts whereby the guides are replaceable.

The recoil cylinder D has a pair of parallel guide members l6, l6 cooperating with the sleigh guide members l2, l2 whereby the barrel B slides on the recoil cylinder D in recoil and counter-recoil.

The main and only recoil and counter-recoil spring E is coaxially mounted on the gun barrel B and held within the cooperating partial cylinders I1, l8 which form spring housings and which conveniently are joined together as by a bayonet joint or screw threads at their adjacent ends. The ends of spring E abut against shoulder Ila of member I1 and washer or spring seat l9 which may rotate with respect to encircling housing shoulder. l8a. The spring seat I9 is made with an L-shaped cross sectional portion as shown in Figs. 1 and 11 with the horizontal portion I9a of the L abutting against sleigh C and the vertical portion |9b abutting spring E whereby compression forces are transmitted directly from the spring E to the sleigh C on barrel B.

Housing member I! is joined to member [8 by inserting projections l 10 into grooves |8d and simultaneously projections I into cut-out portions lid and then turning said members approximately one-sixth of a revolution with respect to one another whereby projections I70, I80 become aligned and coact so as to prevent relative axial movement of the housing members The joined ends of members l1, l8 are locked in joined position by means of pin 20 which is inserted in a round cylindrical hole formed by hollow portions I112, I811 in members IT, IS respectively.

Flange He and the locking bolt head 20a on the joined ends of members I1, l8 are snugly received by cooperating recessed portions on the pair of snugly encircling supporting arms 2|, 22 which are fastened to the recoil cylinder D by means similar to screws 23 and which also carry cylindrical trunnion members 24, 25. Also, bolts 30 join adjacent ends of the arms 2|, 22 at the upper end. Trunnion members 24, 25 aid in rotatably supporting the assembly and also In theassembly- 0f JEi'gs. 1-11,. the spring E is' .prestressed within co- .1 operating housingmembers l 1, l8 andthen said -.members are rotated relative to one another ap- "holdingposition whereupon theyr guidemem The internal working parts in the recoil cyl-.; j

inder D are not disclosed other than theattaching part 29 which moves coextensive withthe bar rel B but comprise purely fluiclurneans which serve the purpose of bufiers ahtheendof the! recoil, and/or counter-recoil. strokes. In prior art structures, a mechanical'spring"similar to guide members 42, 42 whereby the barrel 7) slides on therecoil cylinder 01 in recoil and counterrecoil.

The main and only recoil and counter-recoil spring e is coaxially mounted on the gun barrel b and held between a fixed split cu-p shaped support l'l 'andwasher 49, Eigure12; ,The split cupshaped supporting member 41 comprises a pair of barrel encircling portions or spring seat halves 5|, 52 clamped together by bolts 48 and each of whiclr'is fastened to the recoil cylinder d by meanssimilar; toabolts 65. Each member 5|, 52

spring E. was mounted in the recoil cylinder and herein lies one phase of this invention,

namely, transferring the recuperatQrEspringi-Eito-a position coaxial with the barrel;- -A'cc'ordingly,

the V housing. .rnade up of the partial cylinders .l l and 118 is etsmall dimensions and a 'E having adiameterjalittle larger'than the barrel d am ve e 81111 a sh r e eeeil oke n practically d "ble sJthe speedf'of normal opera 991: 1 l n ord V .disassemble.rny. preferred apparatus sho in Figs. 1 11, the barrel-B is screwed out of engagement with cooperating ;-screw threaded sleigh portion .H andslid outof the; en-

circling spring. Upon removingscrews 23,-

athe-sprins assem l is separated; from the; re il c li rdersD lb a idi s t p n as embly relative to the recoil cylinder D on cooperatingiguide ,rnjernbers l2,; It. Furtherjwhenthej spring assernbiyis completely removed from the recoil cylinden; clamping bolts .30 areremoved, the pair of encircling' .meinbers .2l,5 22" as well .as pine281is removed; and the. partial cylinders l1; iii :of the spring. housing. are rotated, relative to; one-another approximatelyoneesixth of ,a turn whereupon. the .slightly ..prestressed spring E separates; the. members.-.ll-',.-l8.. myapparatus shown- -in proximately one sixth or a -=turn to bayonet joint When the gun is fired the barrel recoiling carrieswim it-the sleigh c; The forward barrel encirclin'g' e'nd- I 3 of the sleigh" being 111 engagement with the slidingspring "seat I 9 will transmit etain'th'e p'rin'g "Ewithout eXtraneousmeans. i

the'iorce of recoil'tothepretensioned spring E r whose other end is in engagement withthe' fixed ,shoulder- -l-lw of the partial cylinder i1. 'j---"-Ihis movemen-t of thebarrel will further compressthe springE a-nd condition it torestorethe barrel to force. p r The-'ma'in 'elements of thefmodified assembly m anssimilar" to screws 4"" Mm. t. I Theme parallel oi -fe d di s f 'fpei ers -461- '46 cooperating with sleigh battery position upon the cessationof therecoil barrel, a

carries; a trunnion member 54, 55 which aids in .rotatably mounting the barrel b and sighting "apparatus (not shown).

in assembling the spring e, the Washer or spring seat 69 and spring'e are slipped over the barrel J after it has been inserted through sleigh pornon ll but before the barrel is inserted through sleigh portions 43, I Aftenthe barrel 1), is inserted through the sleigh portion ma malian is-fully threaded on barrelthreadedportionlfiz the barrel encircling portions or spring "seat halves 5 I, 52

e. lamnesier u id t e ba re he-v nity i h PQ tiOnM a ensofi 0112 4 1 lon at screws (not shown) having 3 heads thereonaiare passed through the auxiliary assembly holes; 6.3 end., dwm e ne ns e and when-:holes 164. 1 the shri e. s at ha ves b ome aligned or nearly; aligned; with tapped holes v65 in the recoil cylinder; bolts ,85 are inserted-thus %holding the spring; e in compressed. state; E Ityis inoted: that the above movement of spring; seats 51;. v52.. with respect togreQ il: cylinder. j-dris guided. by projections 65, B1- which-ysnug1'y .fitlintofgroovesi 68", 69 in the members15 l-,- 52,; :1, V The internal working parts in the recoil-cylindervdare not disclosedother than'the attaching part; 29" which moves; coextensive with the b'arrelbzbut comprise. purely fluid means which serve the .purposeii-of buffers 1 at: the-end of the; recoil and/or counter-recoil strokes. :Also, it is: understood that the sprin'g seat 49 ,mig'ht belformed a s an' integral part' bfi t D0rtion143;

In .the niodification just described the: ment of the mechanism is substantially lilefthat :shown in'the inain'figures; 'In' this forrn f nection between the barrel and the'sleig is'by means of the nutfifi I threaded onit e "ha r'ei as shown in EiglZ. The frontbarrele part 43 being-inengagement withf'th spring seat tll, will when the barrel'rec "l 'n'i it the force- 01 rectum the springs;

other end of the spring being. in enga mfi it'with' thefixed member 41, the springi willbe; nditioned to return the barrel w battery :5 tio'n upon thesubsfdence of the o f .7

Iclaimr l V *1. A' gun barrelfa coitsprihgjge Inovablespring seat on the moved in one direction by a sleigh portionag nutthraded onthe barrel in abuttingrelationto sfai'dislei'gh sleigh having a portion; aligned with th "b n 'fi dab y moun d 10 her 'ie ienespring seat abutting the aligned sleigh portion,

at, r a

a nut threaded on the barrel and abutting the sleigh portion, said spring having one of its ends in engagement with said spring seat, and a second spring seat detachably secured to the stationary gun part at the other spring end.

3. The same as in claim 2 and the last mentioned spring seat comprises a split cup-shaped member.

4. The same as in claim 2 and the last mentioned spring seat being movable in guides formed on the stationary gun part and having holes therethrough adapted to receive assembly bolts.

5. A gun barrel, a spring assembly including a stationary part and a prestressed coil spring, said coil spring being mounted coaxially on the barrel with one of the spring ends engaging the sta tionary part, a stationary gun part, means for fastening together the first and second mentioned stationary parts, a barrel sleigh slidably mounted on the stationary gun part and including a portion thereof aligned with the gun barrel, means for fastening the gun barrel to the sleigh, and a movable spring seat engaging the other spring end and having a portion thereof projecting from the spring assembly in engagement with the aligned sleigh portion.

6. .A spring assembly including: a casing, a prestressed coil spring having one of its ends engaging the casing, a movable spring seat engaging the other spring end and having a portion thereof projecting from the casing; a gun barrel, said spring being coaxially mounted with the gun barrel, a stationary gun part, a barrel sleigh slidably mounted on the stationary gun part, means for fastening the casing to the gun stationary part, means for assembling the barrel to the sleigh, and said spring seat projection abutting a portion of the barrel, sleigh assembly.

7. The same as in claim 6 and said casing comprises two modified cylinders joined at adjacent ends by a bayonet joint connection.

8. The same as in claim 6 and said casing comprising two modified cylinders joined at adjacent ends by a bayonet joint connection forming a flange, means for locking the joined cylinder ends, said first mentioned means comprising a split hollow barrel encircling member snugly engaging and enclosing the flange and locking means, and said second mentioned means comprising a screw threaded connection between the barrel and sleigh.

9. A spring assembly including: a casing having a flange thereon, a prestressed coil spring within the casing and having one of its ends engaging the casing, a movable spring seat engaging the other spring end and having a portion thereof projecting from the casing; a gun barrel, said spring being coaxially mounted with the gun barrel, a stationary gun part, a barrel sleigh slidably mounted on the stationary gun part, a split barrel encircling member mounted on the stationary gun part and engaging the flange, said barrel and sleigh being assembled by a releasable connection, and said spring seat projection abutting a portion of the barrel, sleigh assembly 10. In a recoil apparatus, a gun barrel, a portion fixed relative to the barrel, a fluid control cylinder having operative connections with said barrel, a sleigh upon which the barrel is slidably mounted, a spring seat carried by and. slidable on the barrel and in engagement with said sleigh, a spring seat carried by said fixed portion, and a recuperator spring surrounding thebarrel with its ends in engagement with said seats.

11. In a recoil apparatus, a gun barrel, a portion fixed relative to the barrel, a fluid control recoil cylinder having operative connections with said barrel, 2. sleigh by which the barrel is slidably mounted on the recoil cylinder, one part of the sleigh secured to the barrel and another portion thereof carried by and sliding on the barrel, a spring seat engaging the sliding sleigh portion and moved by the sleigh upon recoil of the barrel, another spring seat on said fixed portion and a coil spring surrounding the barrel with its ends against said seats.

WILLIAM SUMMERBELL. RICHARD H. MASON. 

